Judge Paolo Micheli recused himself in the Perugia, Italy, courtroom today during what was to be the beginning of the libel case against West Seattle-raised Amanda Knox's parents, Curt Knox and Edda Mellas, Arbor Heights residents. The case was adjourned until January, 2012.

The judge recused himself because of his involvement in the murder trial of Knox and boyfriend Rafaelle Sollecito, and Rudy Guede. Micheli is the judge in charge of Ivory Coast-born Guede's first trial and he also was the judge who looked at Amanda's case and decided it warranted going to trial.

Police officers are suing Knox's parents for defamation for describing to a newspaper what Amanda told them about her treatment in her interrogation after her arrest in the murder of her college roommate, Meredith Kercher.

In a 2009 interview in the Sunday Times of London, the Curt and Edda said that Amanda had told them during her interrogation that she "had not been given an interpreter, had not received food and water, and had been physically and verbally abused". They were indicted in February for these statements to the Times of London.

"As far as today's hearings, there really isn't much to say," Curt Knox told the West Seattle Herald. "In the libel trial for Edda and me, the judge withdrew and the next hearing is January 24, 2012."

He is currently in Seattle. Edda appeared in court in Perugia.

Over two years ago, Micheli said he was persuaded to send Knox and Sollecito to trial for murder based on the weight of circumstantial evidence against them, as well as forensic claims, including DNA traces on Ms Kercher's bra strap found under Mr Sollecito's bed and the knife found in his kitchen drawer. (Late edit)

All interested in the murder trial are holding their breath while awaiting the court appearance of the two independent forensics expert assigned by the appeals judge to retest the bra clasp, knife, and the circumstances surrounding the gathering of those items as evidence.

In a 146-page report, the experts, Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti, concluded that while Knox's DNA was present on the knife handle, tests for Ms. Kercher's DNA were unreliable.

The appeal is expected to conclude in September. If Amanda Knox is freed and returns to Seattle, the merit of the libel case against her parents would become questionable, as would their return trip to the courtroom in Perugia, Italy, half a year after the acquittal of their daughter.